Because you asked ... a sneak peek into the pages of LOVING MRS. BONTRAGER (#3 in #Kensington's "A Little Child Shall Lead Them" Amish series). Stay tuned for more, AND introductions to the main characters!
The distinctive clatter of steel wheels grinding along the polished tracks broke into his thoughts. The train would screech to a stop any minute now, and when it did, he’d stand face to face with Karl’s second cousin . . .
. . . the soon-to-be Mrs. Bontrager.
Molly grasped his forearm. “Tell me again,” she said, shaking him back into the here and now, “what is her name?”
“Bethel Mast, but she told me on the phone that she prefers just plain Beth.”
“Will she let us call her Maem? After the wedding, I mean?”
“What does it matter?” Sam ground out. “She is not our mother. Never will be our mother. And I will never, ever call her Maem!”
Matthew clung to Aaron’s leg as Molly crossed both arms over her white-aproned chest.
“There is no cause for that attitude, Sam. When Bethel gets here, I expect you to treat her with respect.”
The sun glinted from the Silverliner’s lead car. Sam, seeing it, stiffened, then stared at the toes of his boots. “I will be polite,” he mumbled, “but I will not call her Maem.”
“No one asked you to,” Molly bit out. “Tell me again, Daed, why our new mother limps.”
“How many times do I have to say it! She is not our mother,” Sam snarled. “She is here to cook and clean, take care of Matthew, and feed the animals. And that is all.”
“Daed, make Sam stop saying mean things!”
“Your sister is right, son. Bethel is not our servant or a hired hand. Karl says she has a big, caring heart, and I believe it, based on all she is giving up to help us. We will welcome her and treat her like family, because that is exactly what she will be. Is that clear?”
The boy hung his head, but Aaron could tell that he’d made up his mind not to like Bethel. Aaron hung his head, too, and said a prayer for patience. And strength. And above all, guidance. Things wouldn’t be easy, especially not at first, but they’d be a lot harder until Sam came around. If Sam came around.
Lord, Aaron thought, I have a feeling I will call upon you a lot in the coming days.
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